Couple ‘living in fear’ in isolated estate

An elderly couple is living in fear after being left isolated in a housing estate, vacated for regeneration.

Imelda and Frank Carey along with son Declan are the only people left living in Knocknaheeny’s Ardmore Avenue — the first part of the Cork northside suburb earmarked for a €75m facelift.

The city council has relocated dozens of the family’s neighbours, most of whom rented the local authority homes, to clear the way for construction to start on the Cork City Northwest Regeneration Plan.

The vacated homes have been boarded up and are being targeted by vandals.

Imelda and Frank, who have lived in the area for 35 years, raising eight children in their home, now feel like they’re living in a ghost estate.

“When we first heard about this regeneration project, we thought it would be great for the area but it has turned in to a nightmare for my parents,” Declan said.

“There’s antisocial behaviour around here every night. The word has gone around that all the houses are empty and there are gangs of youths from outside the area coming in here almost every night.

“We have to close our gates, lock up the back door and my dad is worried about his van.”

He said gang members fire stones at the empty houses and that the front window of his parents’ home was smashed a few days ago.

He said it was very distressing for his parents, who invested thousands of euro in home improvements over the years after buying their house.

The couple felt they had no option but to turn down the council’s offer of an alternative house for the duration of the regeneration because it wasn’t up to standard, and was too far away from their area.

“We’re not out to milk anyone. We just want the council to offer us suitable and alternative accommodation soon,” Declan said.

They pleaded with council officials last night to re-examine their case and find suitable housing for them urgently.

A spokesperson for the regeneration project was not available for comment yesterday.

The entire regeneration plan will see the demolition of old houses and the construction of new homes in Knocknaheeny from Jan 2014 and Hollyhill from 2024 at a total cost of €75m.

There are 87 units in phase 1 which will cost €12.4m over 20 months.

The plan also includes proposals for a large shopping centre, an indoor sports complex, a new library and a new road through the grounds of St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital.